14 hours flight with a 7 month old

[nikilavin]

Hi all,

We'll be travelling to Malaysia with our 7 month old DS (then) and would appreciate some advice and tips. We will stop over in Dubai so that would mean 2x7 hours journey on flight.

I'd like advise on the following please as I'm a first time mum:-

1. How do you sterilise milk bottle on plane? Do you take travel steriliser with you?

1. How about cooled boiled water? Will that be provided?

1. What would we need besides nappies/change of clothes?

1. How about baby food? I male my own food for DS at the moment. I assume they'd all be the same and he'd take the food from plane? (understand all babies are different)

I'm sure i had other questions but can only think of these for now :-/

Thank you in advance

Good luck!

1. If you sterilise a bottle and then close it, it stays fine for 24 hours. By seven months you're going to need three a day (we were down to three seven oz bottles by then) so I'd just bring three. And buy the cartons of milk rather than the powder. I know they're more expensive but they're invaluable for travelling. You can't bring scissors but you can ask the staff on the plane to open them for you.

1. If you do the above, you won't need the cooled boiled water! If you want him to drink water, I don't think the small bit of mineral water he'd drink in that time would do him harm.

1. I'd bring a few small favourite toys that you can rotate to provide a distraction. And lots of muzzies/wipes! It's a very confined space in which to make a mess!

1. Will he eat Ella's (other brands are available!) pouches? i'd bring a bunch of those as they're easier to transport than your own food in containers. I've never seen (but that's not to say it doesn't exist) airline baby food and I wouldn't be keen to give them standard airline food as it can be quite salty.

Finally, given the length of the flights, I would consider an antihistamine or phenergan or something that will help make him a tiny bit drowsy and to sleep. I think you can give phenergan from six months?

You would have to take a cold water steriliser.

They could provide hot water but if you want cooled boiled water you'd probably have to cool it yourself.

Most airlines do not provide any food for children who do not occupy a seat. Occasionally, they may provide a random jar of purée but not from a selection.

I think your best bet would be to take some of those single use bottles and some ready made formula in cartons. You could ask for some hot water to sit it in if you need to warm it.

The problem is you often need to feed the baby to calm them during take off and landing and this isn't a great time for cabin crew to tend to you. So I'd try to be as independent as possible with regard to having what you need to feed the baby.

Take more spare nappies and outfits than you think you might need plus an emergency outfit for yourself.

I would recommend taking all some essentials for 24 hrs in your carry on in case of some problem with checked luggage.

Double check before you go to airport that you have a bassinet seat and also that your travel companion is sitting next to you. It's not uncommon for DH to be separated off elsewhere. Make a note of that seat and check that you are still in the correct place when you check in. It's not uncommon to be bumped out of that place.

Good luck! We flew to Malaysia with DS when he was 4mo and have done a few more long haul trips with him since.

Thank you for the tips and advises :-)

We just flew home from Malaysia yesterday with a 2.5 yr old and a 5 mth old.

If you haven't already booked your flight have a look at Malaysian Airlines as they do a direct flight from Heathrow to KL. We did a day flight out but a night flight back. So much easier on the night flight.

And ask for a bassinet so you can pop the baby in when he goes to sleep, you won't be charged any extra.

I bf so not sure about bottles but was offered jar food for him if we wanted it.

Take warm clothes and changes of clothing as well as summer stuff you can change him in while you are waiting for your luggage.

We also took the baby's car seat as it was counted as part of our luggage allowance as we hired a car. We put the baby in his carrier but you can take your buggy right up to the steps of the plane and it will be waiting for you when you get off which is what we did for the 2 yr old.

Good luck!

Hi Bonnylassie

We've booked our flights, Emirates. I used to fly MAS but thought the stopover would be easy for us (i hope)

I hope they'll be about the same about the buggy. Would make life easier.

Thank you so much for your advise. I can't wait to go home and meet my family. It'll be the first time my family meets DS :-)

Thanks

I work for an airline. We are able to provide you with mineral water from a bottle to mix formula and heat it in a jug of boiling water. We carry one or two sachets of baby food and baby milk, plus nappies, but most parents bring their own. Try and book a bassinet position in advance, they can go quickly (there are about 8 places to put them in economy on a 747.. Toilets have baby changing tables.

Most babies of that age travel really well. It's the toddlers that are more difficult! (And don't ask about adults!)

Hi

The single use bottles are probably best for use during the flight. They are only small but if little one is eating solids aswell, they would probably be enough to last you throughout the flight. Take a couple of jars of baby food and I am sure the airline will be able to warm them for you, if baby won't eat them straight from the jar. I found some pretty good tips from Holiday Hypermarket Top 11 Tips Taking Your Baby Abroad, to give you some ideas goo.gl/okbdJV

Good luck and hope you enjoy your holiday x

We didn't travel on planes long-haul until 15 months. My thoughts:

• toys must be soft. DD nearly gave me a black eye after granny gave DD a robust toy just before take-off
• assume you and child will be covered in wee/food/vomit (take a bin liner and roll up t shirt and leggings for you both in carry on). DD weed on all her clothing when I was changing her in departures.
• double check and double check you still have the bassinet seats. Even if your child doesn't sleep without you, it is a useful bit of space to store stuff
• work on the basis the airline won't cater for a baby

I would take ready made cartons of formula and pre sterilised (sealed) bottles. You can just give tap water at that age, it doesn't need to be boiled. Take more cartons than you think you will need - you may need to open and taste at security. If so, you can then empty it into one of your bottles. Or, order it from Boots in the terminal and pick it up once through security.

Emirates are pretty good with kids - they dish out goody bags which have a couple of toys. Books, toys, etc to keep them occupied - inflight magazine, menu card and seat back TV kept mine occupied for a while too. Pack extra clothes for you and baby. Dubai airport have strollers in the terminal which are a god send!

Take ready made single serve formula. Bottles are fine with being washed at home.

In the UK when you go through security they will tell you that you must open the bottles and taste them. Do not do this under any circumstances. If you do you might as well pitch the whole lot. Depending on the airport you can check if the boots at the terminal have what you need and pick it up from there.

For flights I don't bring my own food but use pouches. Both kids were picky so after our first trip I tried a few before we left. Bring Cheerios too as a great filler.

You've already had some really good advice. I expect you'll be fine. Mine were really good at flying at that age. It was when they started to talk and say things like "I WANT TO GET OFF THIS PLANE NOW" in the middle of a night flight, that things got a bit tricky.

7 months old are easy to fly with. Just make sure you take a change of clothes for you on the plane too, in case of a projectile vomit.
Pre sterile bottles
Single serve formula bought air side.
A nappy for every hour
Change of clothes for everyone
Sense of humour

Others have given some great advice; I would reiterate the change of clothes for you as well. I once had to do a long haul return from Sydney in a pair of Virgin Atlantic pyjamas after DD (2.2 at the time) projectile vomited everywhere about 45 minutes into the first leg.

DS was 9 months going out and 10 coming back, and I think I took a load of pouches to feed him with, and the cabin crew were very happy to give him the odd extra bread roll etc.

ah yes, and a couple of zip up plastic bags for any offending articles of clothing you don't want stinking up the cabin.

We took DD to Dubai with Emirates at 7 months. We had a fantastic crew on the way out who were lovely with her, one of the ladies cuddled her stood up by us for at least 30 minutes. They also took a "my first flight" photo of her. Crew home were not so good but still ok.

We did get offered a jar of baby food on one of the flights but it was banana with added sugar - who needs to make banana sweeter?! So we were glad we had food with us.

On the flight out DD filled her nappy a lot more than usual so the advice to allow one per hour is good!

Check what you can take through security.

An advance order of pre-sterilised disposable bottles, milk cartons and ouches can be picked up once you are through security.

Get your baby used to the bottle, carton milk and pouch food a few weeks before you leave.

Will these items be available in Malaysia for the return flight?

Do strap your baby into the bassinet - they can jump out while you sleep.I have heard